diff --git a/net/core/net_namespace.c b/net/core/net_namespace.c
index cb5290b8c428c5c348b25d842ab9cf3797b70eba..70d3450588b2c73cbb4a3027f7f92e0c285b90d7 100644
--- a/net/core/net_namespace.c
+++ b/net/core/net_namespace.c
@@ -198,8 +198,10 @@ static int __peernet2id(struct net *net, struct net *peer, bool alloc)
  */
 int peernet2id(struct net *net, struct net *peer)
 {
-	int id = __peernet2id(net, peer, true);
+	bool alloc = atomic_read(&peer->count) == 0 ? false : true;
+	int id;
 
+	id = __peernet2id(net, peer, alloc);
 	return id >= 0 ? id : NETNSA_NSID_NOT_ASSIGNED;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(peernet2id);